November 15th 2017~Hello From The Big Apple!!! Great Week!!
Hello my awesome Family!!!! Wow, I have missed you all so much! Thank you all so much for your emails and love that you always send my way! We had a really great week but don't have any baptismal dates yet......yet! But we will hopefully once we get even mire acclimated to this area. We are both very new and so we are trying to find new people to teach. I can't thank you enough for your email and pictures! We had a great and busy week so here it goes!
We had a really awesome P-Day last week! I think I mentioned everything that we got to do. It was so amazing to see Radio City Music Hall and go out to eat at Wowfulls! After our P-Day ended, we went to do some lookups and try to contact our referrals that we got and one of them lived right underneath the Empire State Building! We tried to look up the address but it was under construction and so we couldn't find him. Then we went to look up a guy named Edwin Roa and he was so cool! He has a really crazy story and was in prison for 22 years on false charges that they later discovered that he wasn't guilty. It was a really crazy story! We gave him the Bible he ordered and introduced the Book of Mormon to him and he told us he would love to read it! It was a really awesome day filled with tons of fun stuff! Elder Brown's Birthday package didn't come in time so he waited until the next day which is mail day to open his package! It was still a really fun day and he had a great Birthday! I loved emailing you back and forth so much and I loved seeing your video and pictures! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your awesome emails and it was SO nice to hear your voices! I couldn't help but think of America's Got Talent and how the semi finals and finales are in that very same building! It was so amazing to see! It has been FREEZING cold and we all bundled up in our sweaters, scarfs, and coats because the humidity makes it feel do much colder. Winter is officially upon us!!!
Thursday was a really awesome day!! It has been getting so cold, especially in the morning, during our exercise. We bundled up and ran along the East River again and it was so pretty! I love watching the planes come in and out of the big city. They are like giant birds soaring through the air and they are so cool to watch because there is a plane flying at all times that you can see. It's really amazing! We had a split planned for that evening and I was planned to go to our District Leader's apartment and I was going to be with Elder Macedo and Elder Lusk was coming to our apartment with Elder Brown. We had a really busy day full of really great lessons! We got some really exciting news the other day about a referral who has a Baptisimal date for December 2nd and they set up an appointment with him to meet us at the New York library and so we were so thrilled! So we took the subway over to meet him but he wasn't there. We weren't sure where he was and so we called the referral center back and they gave us his email address. Then we went back to the apartment for an early lunch because we had a really tight schedule. Then we went to a lesson that we had with the Ramos family! They are a part member family and we were really excited to get to know them! They are really cool but they have kind of gone off track and so we were there to help them feel the spirit. We taught them the Restoration and showed them a video. We could both tell that light was coming back and they started to get really excited! Then we went to the Manhattan Temple Chapel to do our weekly planning and to pick up mail. During weekly planning, we got a text from the office Elders telling us that they would meet us at our apartment since we ordered a dresser because our other one is in rough shape. Then after we walked out of the Temple, I saw something really cool! Driving down the street was an awesome Mercedes Benz sporting a county 22 Wyoming licence plate!!! It was really cool to see some Wyoming pride cruising down the streets of New York City! Then we saw a guy in Union Square park who was playing some incredible drums using everyday objects like pots and pans. I tried to get a video but it was just too crowded. Then we headed over to a dinner appointment with Brother and Sister Toomey and they made us some really good drumsticks and fried rice. They had to leave pretty quick because they had a meeting all the way up on 187th street and D. Todd Christopherson was going to be there. So we quickly ate and then headed back over to the Manhattan Temple Chapel to do our split but we had a few hours so we did our weekly planning session. One interesting thing I have noticed is that lots of people have been calling me "Sir". I will hold the door open for someone and they will say "Thank you sir!" It makes me feel so much older. So after our dinner, we headed over to the Manhattan Temple Chapel to split and finish our weekly planning. We had a guy come up to us and ask us a really good question! He asked us about the Book of Mormon and what it was exactly. He also wanted to know about Jospeh Smith and so we happily explained what it was and then we gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon. At the Temple, we said a prayer and then I went with Elder Macedo and Elder Lusk, who is our District Leader, went with Elder Brown into our area. I always look forward to seeing other apartments and spending a day with a different companion! As we were walking out, we talked to Gregory Newman again. I was thinking a lot about the article that you shared with me. Then we walked outside and noticed that a news crew was across the street from the Temple and we walked right behind them! So k guess you can say that we were "On TV!!" Then we taught a really cool guy from South Africa and we helped him improve his English. Elder Macedo is from Brazil but has been living in South Jordan and so his English is really good! He is also the oldest and has 3 younger siblings. I had a really fun time teaching him helping him sound out words and helping him improve! Then we headed back to their apartment for the night and I was ready for a good night's rest! Their apartment is pretty cool but it is pretty small for 4 missionaries. It is basically just a long hallway of rooms but it is still really nice! We are so lucky to have such nice apartments!!! We are spoiled! Their apartment is in Hell's Kitchen and the Zone Leaders live there too. Our Zone Leaders were on a split as well and so we had Elder Birch who is from Idaho and a Chinese speaking missionary who is training. Then we had our Zone Leader, Elder Taylor. It was really fun to get to know them better. We got talking and I asked Elder Birch and Elder Macedo how long they have been out and I couldn't believe it but they told me 8 months. It hit me really hard and made me realize how long I have been out. I couldn't believe that I've been out for longer than both of them have because I still feel so new. It was pretty crazy! Then Elder Taylor, who lives in Lehi and graduated from Lehi High, told me that Skyridge and Lehi were playing in the 5A State Championship. I thought that was so cool since Skyridge is brand new and they are so close together! Then we all headed off to bed to recharge for the next day!
Friday was an awesome day!!! I was so excited to be on a split with Elder Macedo! We woke up ready for another awesome day! First, we went to the Manhattan Temple Chapel to do our companionship study and then we had a dinner appointment with Ray Smith who is a member in Poughkeepsie! He is such a nice guy and travels all over the mission and take missionaries out to eat! He took us to a really nice and very expensive Restauraunt close by to the Temple. H loves sending pictures to Missionary Moms! So we ordered and I couldn't believe how expensive the food was. Brother Smith is a really great guy and loves the missionaries. I ordered one of the cheapest things on the menu called "Le Burger". It was $23.00 and came with tons of amazing fries! Then we took a picture and he sent it to you! It was a really great time! Then we went to the YSA District Meeting since Elder Macedo and Elder Lusk are in the YSA ward. Elder Palmer is the District Leader and he does a really great job! After the meeting, I met Elder and Sister England who are the senior couple missionaries from Bountiful. They are really awesome and then we got talking and they asked me where I was from. They have tons of family in Hyrum and know exactly where Nibley is. Elder England's family owned the property that Mountain Crest High School was built on! Can you beleive that!?!? Then after our meeting, we met with and taught a really nice lady who has a Baptisimal date named Rekeh. She is from India and is so nice! We came with a member from their ward and he did such a great job at teaching tithing! Then after the awesome lesson about tithing, we got talking with him and he is from California and served his mission in Italy. He told us that he was a Delta Airlines pilot and I thought that was so cool! That really would be such an awesome job and I would love to do that myself. That is 1 career option that I have been considering for a few months now. Then we went back to the Chapel and had another awesome lesson with a guy with a baptismal date named Enrique. He was born in Equador and graduated from Columbia University a few years ago and is now working for the University. He speaks almost perfect English and is a really well put together guy. He is so smart and met the missionaries in Scarsdale a few months ago. They started teaching him since he works down here and he is such an awesome investigator. I wish we got to teach him because he truly is the "Golden Investigator!" We taught him about the Word of Wisdom and had a member come with us who just got home from his mission in Brazil 2 days ago! It was awesome because he really explained everything well to Enrique. Enrique has had a coffee addiction for many years and has about 4 cups of coffee per day. Ever since he has met with missionaries, he has cut it down quite a bit. Then it was time for dinner and then we unsplit and away we went to our apartment for the evening. It was such an awesome day and I enjoyed every minute of it because I got lots of ideas for teaching and finding lots of people to teach. I've heard from a few people that our area is one of the hardest areas because we don't have very many people we are teaching even though there is around 2 million people who walk these streets each and every day. There are many busy people. Today felt like one of the coldest days ever especially with the wind chill. I could not believe how F.R.E.E.Z.I.N.G cold it was. I mean it was bone chilling!! I didn't think that it got this cold this early but I was wrong. It is starting to look more and more like Christmas each day as they start to decorate around the city. It is going to be such a special and once in a lifetime experience to be in the city for Thnaksgiving and Christmas. I'm so excited and can't wait to be a part of it! I am so stoked to see all of the holiday decorations! One really cool thing that I have loved seeing around and that have started popping up is horse drawn carriages just like you see in the movies! They have red and green horse carriages that take tourists around all over the city! I can't even describe how cool it is to be here during this time and I know it will get even more amazing once we hit Decmeber. I guess you have to see it to believe it! It was a really great day and as always, I was tired and ready for another great day!
Saturday was so great! It was really cold again and I think the cold is here to stay. We walked outside to do our lookups and it just hit us and chilled us to the bone. It was so cold!!! Then we walked about 100 yards and heard a car driving down the street that had a flat tire. We watched it pull of to the side and then we went over and offered to help. There 1 only 1 younger lady in the car and she told us that she was due to have a baby any day now. She is from New York and was on her way to New Jersey. She was really nice and couldn't believe that someone was willing to help out. I've seen a few tires changed before but I've never actually done it. We changed it in about 20 minutes and then she was on her way. If we were a pit crew, we would lose every race with me changing the tires but hey, I tried my best and it was my 1st time. Hehe!
Sunday was a really awesome day! For some reason, I missed you all a lot more and I wanted to talk to you all so bad. This time of year is especially hard to be away from home even though it is so amazing to be here during the holidays. For me, the holidays have always been about family and spending time with you all and so not being with you during this fun time has been a little hard. I just keep trying to see the bigger picture and remember how many years and years of fun and holidays that we have ahead of us. I only have to miss 2 out of my whole life and then we can be together! We had something really cool happen today! We were really excited for Sacrament meeting because President and Sister Smith were coming to our service and then the YSA ward service! He and Sister Smith were both speaking and so we were really excited for that! I always look forward to hearing from the Smiths because they are incredible speakers. So we planned out our day and then we took the bus over to the Church and got there about a half an hour early so then we enjoyed visiting and getting to know members! Elder Brown woke up that morning not feeling well at all and he said he barely got any sleep. He was wondering if he could even make it through Church. There were a few member from Utah there and it always makes me feel right at home. Nobody took our pictures and so I was bummed that you didn't get a picture. I met a former Stake President from Mapleton Utah and he is a really great guy! Then we had a couple from Bountiful on vacation so I guess you could say that is like a mini Utah ward here! Godson came to Church again and it was so great to have him! He has a tight schedule and we keep trying to set up a time to teach him because he is really awesome and ready for the Gospel but just can't seem to get any time off to meet with us. The whole sacrament meeting was focussed on missionary work and President and Sister Smith did an amazing job! They talked about how members can better share the Gospel in everyday life. Everyone, including me, thought his talk was amazing! After Church, we had ward correlation and got 2 dinner appointments scheduled and they told us that we were going to eat some really good food! We talked about the work and how we can best help Godson! The Sisters in our ward and are on fire with lots of lessons. They have lots of single women that they are teaching and have 4 people on baptismal date for December 16th. They are having a baptism this coming Saturday for a really nice lady who works as a security guard at the front desk on the Manhattan Temple. She was really impressed with the missionaries and members that came in and so she started taking the missionary lessons. Also, Brother Eades is preparing to go to the Temple this Saturday at 11:00 to receive his own endownments and so hopefully we can go to that! After our ward correlation, Brother Hansen and Sister Dastrup, who are married but she didn't change her last name, came up to us and asked if Elder Brown was ok because he was feeling so sick. I have been so grateful because I haven't gotten sick my whole mission. (Knock on wood!!!) They told us that the investigators and people we teach will come as long as we keep trying. They told us to just keep going and it brought a lot of comfort to us and was really nice of them to say. It has been a little challenging to go to an area that is struggling to have people to teach when I just came from an awesome area with lots of baptisms and people to teach! As we were walking to the bus to head back to the apartment, I saw a guy wearing a Virginia Tech hat and so I said "Go Hokies!" He yelled back as we were passing "That's right! Go Hokies!" I love making those quick connections with people just while we are walking past them. Some missionaries will try not to talk about other things other than the Gospel but I feel like if I'm just myself and I use my talents then I can connect to a lot more people. It has been so fun to see so much diversity! Especially in College Football and NFL teams!! Elder Brown just wasnt feeling well at all so he decided that what he needed most was some rest. Elder Brown is not a quitter and never gives up but he just really needed some rest. So we went back to the apartment and I had some lunch while Elder Brown rested. I read some conference talks and kept myself busy and really enjoyed the time to sit and think and warm up because it was freezing outside! As the day wore on, Elder Brown kept getting worse and worse by the hour and was feeling really sick. I made him some soup ANF he said it tasted really good because he was starving and hadn't eaten anything all day. His eyes were red and he was coughing a ton. I felt bad for him but he had lots of medicine to help. We ended up staying in the apartment the rest of the day because he was getting worse. Poor guy! So sorry that I don't have much news but he got a great night's rest and felt a little better. I felt bad and didn't want to catch whatever he had because he was really sick. It was still a great day and we loved our Sacrament meeting and getting to know members!
Monday was a great day but Elder Brown woke up feeling worse than he did the day before. He woke up and his eyes were red and he felt achy. We had been outside in the cold for 2 days and he bundled up really well but must have caught something. We did our planning and studies and then Elder Brown asked the 3 of us for a blessing. He wasn't sure if he was able to work that day especially because it was cold and rainy. It was about 40 degrees and it is really starting to feel like winter. We gave him a blessing and he felt better immediately after and was able to go to district meeting. We stayed nice and dry and got to talk to lots of people on the busses and trains! They have been putting more and more Christmas decorations up and it is looking really good! So we went to District Meeting and picked up some medicine for Elder Brown. He bought some Airborne and a nasal decongestant. Or is it a nasal decompressant??? Hehe! So we went to District Meeting and discussed a ton of cool ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas! All I can say is that it is going to be a really awesome holiday season with tons of service! We discussed our investigators and the sisters have 5 baptismal dates! Hey are really on fire! Then after our meeting, we were on the train and I started talking to a really nice couple and I found out that they were from the Netherlands and were on vacation and were doing lots of sightseeing! They told me that they love soccer and watched them get 3rd place in the World Cup a few years ago. It was really cool to talk them! Then we went to the clinic for Elder Brown because he wanted to get a prescription. We found out that he has a virus and pink eye in both eyes. I felt pretty bad for him. He and I both really wanted to go get some New York pizza to eat for lunch and so we went to 2 Brother's Pizza. They have some of the best pizza I've ever had and they sell 2 slices with garlic and a can of soda for only $2.99! So we enjoyed eating our pizza while we looked up at the Empire State Building! Then we headed back toward our apartment because we had to be close by to pick up his prescription. We went to go visit a less active named Alexander Feliciano. He sounded really awesome on the phone and were excited to get to know him better! So we went over for a few minutes and shared a quick video with him about Thanksgiving. Then we hurried over to visit with Brother Eades and Brother Forbes and we talked about Jesus Christ and his atonement. I love teaching about Jesus Christ and helping people see the blessings that come for obeying and following the Gospel! Then Brother Eades told us something SOOOO cool! I especially think that Dad, Dubbie, and Puck would find this so cool! He told us that the entire Cleveland Cavaliers team, including LeBron James, took the subway to Madison Square Garden for the game against the Knicks and so LeBron James was right were we were. We didn't see any players because they had gotten on the exact same train stop that we did!! So I thought that was very cool! Then we had a dinner appointment with the Smith/Smock family again and it was so amazing! We had steak and potatoes with a salad! Then we shared the Thanksgiving video about New York City and what people are grateful for! They have 2 kids, Grant and Frances and they are so smart. After our lesson, we asked them what they are thankful for and then we went to have a lesson with Charles and Charlene. We taught them the Plan of Salvation and we are really starting to see a change in them! Charles is planning on going to the addiction recovery class this Thursday and he is starting to change his life for the better! Elder Brown pushed through and despite his sickness, we had a great day! I was so excited to have you get my postcard and to read you awesome email!
Tuesday was awesome as well! I get SO VERY excited when Tuesday rolls around because I get to read your awesome email and see your pictures! We did our morning studies and then we called a ton of people in our area book. Then it was time to head over to the Manhattan Temple Chapel for our interviews with President Smith! I always love talking to him and letting him know how the work is doing in our area. So we took the train and got to our interviews right on time. We had a really great day planned with lots of lessons back to back with some really awesome people! We got a call our of the blue from an investigator before I got here and he wants to start meeting with missionaries again so that was really exciting! We were waiting for our interviews and we got a text from President and he asked us if we could reschedule our interviews because he was running really behind. Elder Brown and I were the last 2 on the list and he had interviews to do in Harlem and so he had to reschedule our interviews. He also asked Elder Rocha if he could reschedule theirs as well. So we called some of our investigators and then updated our record that we have of everyone in our area book and then headed to a nearby hospital to drop off a Bible to a man that was sent to us by Sister Honeycut who is in charge of all the referrals. I love traveling through the city because you can see so much going on all at once. The tall buildings and taxis are the coolest part! So we dropped of a Book of Mormon and we couldn't go in but she delivered it for us. Then we had our companionship study and then had a really great lesson with Brother Eades and Brother Forbes! We taught them about a recent conference talk about our trial and how hard is a good thing. Then we had another appointment way down at the very bottom of Manhattan with a guy named Yule. He called us and asked if we could come over and share a message that will bring peace to his life. We went over but unfortunately he wasn't home and so we headed up to our dinner appointment that we had with Brother Hansen and Sister Dastrup! I saw something SO cool after that I can't wait to tell you about! There are just so many cool things in our area and we see so many cool sights every single day! It's so hard to take it all in!!!!! So we went over for dinner and they ordered some Chinese food and it was amazing!! They had dumplings with meat and soup in the middle, fried noodles with vegetables, and Ben and Jerry's for desert! They are a very young couple and have only lived in that apartment for a few months. I found out that Sister Dastrup graduated from Utah State about 7 years ago. They have one of the most amazing apartments I've ever seen and they are both making some pretty good money. Apartment here are so small but it amazes me how nice they are. Sister Dastrup didn't want to change her last name but they have been married for about a year and a half. Sister Dastrup works for Google and Brother Hansen is a computer programmer for a software company. They are both so nice and both served missions. We had our really delicious food and then headed out to do some more work! So we headed out and this is where I saw something so cool! We walked right past Madison Square Garden and I'm pretty sure that there was a game going on because there were quite a few people. Then an advertisement flashed up saying that tonight at 7:30 our time, the Knicks are playing...........the Jazz!!!! It just made me feel so close to home knowing the Jazz would be in town the very next day! So I took a few pictures that I think you will all like! Then we knocked on 2 doors that lived pretty far away from each other and we walked the whole way and talked to people. Neither of them were home so then we took the bus back to the apartment for the night! As we were on the bus, I got my email from you and enjoyed reading it all the way home! We had a bus called the 14D and it drops us off literally right in front of our apartment. Every bus and train is run by what's called the MTA and so they all have different names and it can get pretty confusing. I was so, SOOOO excited to get and read your email and see your pictures! I got home and enjoyed a huge glass of milk and we had some cookies that I enjoyed while reading your email! I was so excited to hear all about your week and everything that you got to do!
Well my dear family! It has been so much fun tk email you today! It has been so bitter cold here and I have definitely been bundling up and using all of my winter gear! I have loved using my sweater and my scarf especially! I hope you all have an awesome week and know that I think about and pray for you always! This season is so special and I love the feeling that Thanksgiving and Christmas brings! Today for P-Day we get to go to the Temple! I have really been looking forward to it! Todau, Elder Palmer gets to go see a Broadway play since it is his last P-day before he goes home. He is going to see Wicked and I really looking forward to it! I can't wait to have a big Thankgsgiving feast! We actually had 1 person get in line to ask us to come over. We will see how many people want us to come over and it should be really fun! We got invited by the Call family and they are both from Logan and graduated from Utah State!! They are really young and have a little daughter who is 1 named Faye! It should be a ton of fun! Well, I hope you all have an awesome day and that you know how much I love and miss you! Thanks again for everything that you do for me! LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!
Love You Always!
~Elder Lindberg
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